Identifying the science involved in nuclear fusion Essay

Both windings of the transformer is what the current is induced from to heat up the plasma. Although this type of Ohmic heating technique can heat plasmas into temperatures of around 20-30 million Kelvin, it is not quite effective because the amount of heat generated depends on the resistance between the plasma and the current (the Joule Effect which states that the amount of electrical energy produced is dependent upon the resistance of the substance through which electricity is passing). The reason for the ineffectiveness of Ohmic heating from the Joule effect principle is because at temperatures of over 1 million degrees centigrade, the electrical conductivity of the plasma is very high which means that there is very low resistance. In needing higher temperatures for larger fusion reactions to occur, other methods of plasma heating are introduced to enhance the Ohmic heating technique (in order to reach higher temperatures for bigger scaled fusion reactions to occur). Neutral Beam Heating: This is an enhancing plasma heating technique of ohmic heating whereby accelerated neutral beams of deuterinium or tritium ions are injected into the already heated plasma. The beams of ions carry large kinetic energies and are neutralized in order for easier access through the magnetic fields confining the plasma. When these beams are injected into the plasma, electrons are lost and the nuclei become ionized due to high temperature particle collisions (making them positively charged ions). â€Å"In the series of subsequent ion-ion, ion-electron and electron-electron collisions, the group velocity of beam ions is transferred into an increased mean velocity of chaotic motion of all plasma particles†. This results in the neutral beam of ions heating up the pre heated plasma and increasing it’s temperature by a maximum of 21MW. http://www. jet. efda. org/pages/focus/006heating/index. html#ohmic Lower Hybrid Current Drive: This additional pre-heating technique is a process whereby micro electromagnetic waves of up to 10MW propel charged particles in a plasma at 3. 7GHz of cycles per second to produce currents of up to 3MA which increases plasma temperature. http://www. jet. efda. org/pages/focus/006heating/4c. jpg Radiofrequency Heating: This type of plasma heating technique is also known as Ion Cyclotron Resonant Heating (in a more scientifical understanding). It is a process whereby the antennae in the vacuum vessel of the tokamak â€Å"propagate waves in the frequency range of 25-55 MHz into the core of the plasma to increase the energy of the ions† thus increasing the temperature for more fusion reactions to occur. This heating method provides additional energy of up 20MW of power t http://www. jet. efda. org/pages/focus/006heating/index. html#ohmic Magnetic Confinement Of Plasma A magnetic field is defined as a force produced by moving electric charges or currents that exerts a power on other moving charges. Because the incredible temperature of plasma (which is over 100 million i C) inside the tokamak cannot be contained inside the inner vessel walls of the nuclear reactor alone, the use of magnetic fields gives an alternative technique in actually restraining the high temperature plasma particles from touching the walls of the reactor. This is called confinement. The reason why plasma is restrained from touching the walls of the reacting vessel is that it cools down very rapidly and terminates itself at once when contact is made. A plasma is made up of ionized particles. In the absence of magnetic fields, the ionized particles move in straight lines and in random directions. This eventually leads to contact with the inner chamber walls of the reacting vessel and results in the plasma quickly cooling down and terminating itself. But when a constant presence of a magnetic field is introduced, the ionized particles in the plasma flow through these fields in a spiral path on the magnetic lines. The movement of the particles across the magnetic field lines are restricted and this also prevents contact to the walls of the containment vessel. Below is a picture illustrating the movement of charged particles with and without the presence of magnetic fields: . http://www. plasma. inpe. br/LAP_Portal/LAP_Site/Text/Plasma_Confinement. htm On the torus, there two main components of magnetic fields used. The main type of magnetic field used in the plasma confining process is the toroidal field. This is a field whereby 32 large (D-shaped) coils surround the vacuum vessel of the nuclear reactor and when current flows around these coils, a toroidal magnetic field is generated which controls the position of the plasma inside the torus and also modifies the poloidal field (the second magnetic field). The other magnetic field (the poloidal field) is produced by current being flown through the plasma which is initially induced from transformers. The created poloidal field with the combination of the toroidal field confines the plasma well and stabilizes it which allows confinement times of plasma temperatures to be longer. . http://www. fys. uio. no/plasma/plasma/norsk/tokamak. gif Limitations Of The Jet Fusion Tokamak The foremost limitation on the Jet fusion tokamak is the small amount of time the plasma lasts for inside the reactor. This is because of the plasma being continuously cooled down by tiny impurities inside the chamber walls. Also, the efficiency of the fusion reaction inside the nuclear reactor is quite an important aspect of limitations that has a need to be solved. This is because large amounts energy are put in initially just to start the fusion reaction at a plasma state and only half the energy is acquired when fusion is completed. On a typical Jet experiment, 30MW of energy is the power input used and only 16MW of energy is successfully extracted out from the reactor as power output . From an efficiency equation (Pout / Pin), this gives an efficiency of 53. 3% . Another important limitation of fusion reactions inside the tokamak reactor is the instability of the plasma that has a need to be controlled. This is because of excited and charged particles inside the plasma wanting to escape as they are being compressed into higher temperatures. Although this is controlled by the use of magnetic fields, the slightest error in confining these charged particles could result in the plasma escaping and quickly cooling down and thus all the total energy put initially put into the reaction being wasted. Also if the plasma escapes, this results in it touching the inner walls of the tokamak and eroding or damaging the components surrounding the plasma and by therefore reducing the lifetime of these components. Although these problems or limitations cause less energy efficiencies inside the tokamak, modern day advances of computer aided technology is gradually providing remedies in sorting these limitations out. Future Developments. From my knowledge of future developments in nuclear reactors, experimental studies which is currently being carried on the JET experiment is believed to provide some detailed background information in acquiring similar basic properties in the building process of ITER.. Currently, The JET experiment holds the world record for released fusion power at 16 million Watts (16MW). This is â€Å"a value comparable to the power needed for heating one thousand households in a cold winter. † http://www. jet. efda.org/pages/focus/010jetanditer/index. html#overall In future developments, it is predicted that the ITER experiment which is estimated to finish construction at the end of year 2006 in France would release an amazing fusion power of 500 Million Watts. This, by my accurate calculations, is enough to power up to 31,250 homes on a cold winter night. The future properties of ITER when construction is finished is going to be entirely based around a hydrogen plasma torus which would operate at temperatures of above 200 Million i C and also by the use of super conducting coils to generate high temperature plasmas which would yield better energy efficiencies give more energy outputs. In the size of ITER’s components compared to the current JET nuclear reactor, ITER is estimated to be 10 times bigger than JET in size. Bibliography Books Name Of Book Authors Name ISBN Number Name Of Publisher’s Year Of Publishment Understanding Physics For Advanced Level (Second Edition) Jim Breithaupt 0-7487-0510-4 Stanley Thornes Publishers Ltd 1990 Salters Horners Advanced Physics Heinimann 0435 628909Heinimann Educational Publishers 2000. Internet 1) http://www. jet. efda. org/images/gallery/images/82-348cmed. jpg. 2) http://www. plasma. inpe. br/LAP_Portal/LAP_Site/Text/Plasma_Confinement. htm 3) http://www. sbf. admin. ch/htm/international/org/fusion-e. html 4) http://europa. eu. int/comm/research/energy/fu/fu_rt/fu_rt_mc/article_1227_en. htm 5) http://www-fusion-magnetique. cea. fr/gb/fusion/principes/principes01. htm 6) http://www. jet. efda. org/pages/focus/006heating/index. html#ohmic 7) http://www-fusion-magnetique. cea. fr/gb/fusion/principes/principes01. htm.

A Case Study into the different aspects of Curriculum

The course of study is non a simple word that can be defined ; it is a subject that consists of many factors that finally create the course of study. Upon reading farther into this topic, it has become obvious that the course of study is a complex field and is more likely to uncover that many writers, bookmans, academic authors each have a definition depicting what the course of study best agencies to them or its best definition in the context they discuss. This paper will concentrate on the Australian Curriculum and will try to turn to issues such as the assorted definitions of the course of study, the intent or end of the course of study, how the course of study is developed, the construction of the course of study, how the course of study is influenced by different larning theories, the procedures of instruction, larning and appraisal and how the course of study relates to twenty-first Century scholars. Integrating these factors and understanding this information will let the read er to explicate his or her ain educated definition of the course of study whilst recognizing the primary characteristics which influence larning within our schools.Definition of Curriculum and its StakeholdersSeveral definitions surround the significance of course of study ; to acquire an overview of the definition we can throw relevant words together such as program, nonsubjective, content, capable affair, chances, guidelines, model, experiences or schemes, although in order to do sense of these words and their relationship to the course of study we must link these words in a logical form. Writers and faculty members Brady & A ; Kennedy ( 2010, p.5 ) merely province â€Å" In seeking to understand better the function of the course of study in the twenty-first century, the intent should be to guarantee that kids and immature people are good equipped to manage whatever it is that this century will name them to make and be † , in other words, there must be a common involvement and a common bond by all those involved, while Marsh and Willis ( 2007, as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.93 ) define course of study as â€Å" an interconnected set of programs and experiences which a pupil completes under the counsel of the school † . Other definitions of the course of study arise, dependent on the stakeholders in inquiry, these stakeholders are people who have an involvement in the course of study, its formation and its bringing. The concern community feel that the course of study must be able to back up pupils in their future employment chances while fixing them for the economic demands of society ( Brady & A ; Kennedy, 2010 ) and parent groups are concerned that the course of study could be manipulated by authorities organic structures for academic analysis alternatively of concentrating on fiting their kids with the appropriate cognition and experiences for a successful hereafter ( Brady & A ; Kennedy, 2010 ) . ACARA ( 2010c ) describes the new National course of study as â€Å" a wide range and sequence of nucleus acquisition. Critical determinations about the entire educational plan and how it will be implemented and adapted to run into the demands and involvements of pupils will be the duty of instruction governments, schools, instructors, parents and pupils † Marsh ( 2010, p.24 ) provides a list of stakeholders with whom the National Curriculum Board ( NCB ) , now known as the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority ( ACARA ) consults Government – Federal/State Minister for Education, Council of Australian Governments, Premiers, State/Territory curates, Federal resistance, State/Territory resistance Education governments – Government and Non-Government Schools, Australasian Curriculum, Assessment and Certification Authorities ( ACACA ) , Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations ( DEEWR ) . Professional associations – Unions, Business, Employers School-based – Principals, Administrators, Teachers, Students Community – Parents, Parent groups, Parent Associations Tertiary Sector – Universities, TAFE, Industry preparation sectors, Academicians From this information it is apparent that the course of study is complex, elaborate and is influenced by many groups. Basically, it is a program that consists of goals/aims, content and accomplishment criterions for each topic to be taught within Australian schools, in other words, the course of study is a planned description of the what, how and when of instruction, larning and appraisal. Understanding the foundation of course of study, we can now concentrate on the end of the course of study – WHO is it for and WHAT do we anticipate from our instruction system and for immature Australian citizens?The intent or end of the Curriculum and Educationâ€Å" Course of study must be of direct relevancy to the kid ‘s societal, cultural, environmental and economic context and to his or her present and future demands and take full history of the kid ‘s evolving capacities ; learning methods should be tailored to the different demands of different kids † ( UN Committe e on the Rights of the Child, General Comment 1 as cited in Sullivan & A ; Keeney, 2008, p.38 ) . In order to understand the end or intent of instruction, we must understand who we are directing our acquisition to. Admiting the diverseness of scholars will help in placing the range and scope of the content to be covered by the course of study. Brady and Kennedy ( 2010, p.38 ) province â€Å" Teachers must analyze the course of study carefully to guarantee it does non except the diverse experiences that pupils bring with them to the schoolroom. More positively, the course of study should foreground those experiences and do them the footing for find and acquisition † . The K-12 National Curriculum is directed towards pupils developing their cognition and apprehension of the major subjects – Mathematicss, English, Science and History to enable pupils to foster their cognition and specialise in Fieldss through farther third instruction. Further to this, the course of study provides the foundation that allows immature Australian citizens to cover confidently with issues that arise and enables them to do informed determinations sing societal and personal affairs. ( EQUITY ) ACARA is responsible for the development of the Australian course of study from Kindergarten to Year 12. ACARA ‘s work with the Australian course of study is directed by the 2008 Melbourne Declaration on Educational Goals for Young Australians. This declaration commits to back uping scholars with quality instruction and supplying them with the accomplishments necessary for future enterprises ( ACARA, 2009a ) . The Australian course of study will sketch the range and sequence of cardinal larning countries, in other words WHAT and WHEN it is to be taught at schools, although instructors will finally do the determination on HOW to organize, construction and present this information to profit each and every pupil ‘s learning experience ( ACARA, 2009b ) . The educational ends for immature Australian citizens focus on making successful scholars such as developing their capacity to be originative, resourceful and motivated persons, to be able to believe, obtain and measure groun ds, work independently and in squads, be able to pass on thoughts, utilise current engineering and be able to do informed determinations and derive the necessary accomplishments sing their acquisition and employment waies. These ends besides aim to make confident persons by supplying the tools that promote a sense of self-awareness to be able to pull off all aspects of their well-being, develop values such as honestness, empathy and regard for themselves and others, form personal, societal and professional relationships and have the assurance to prosecute farther instruction and preparation. In add-on, going active and informed citizens is addressed through the cross-curriculum dimensions, which aim to instil an apprehension and grasp for Australia ‘s autochthonal history and diverse civilization and sustaining and bettering our natural and societal milieus ( ACARA, 2009b ) . So far we have discussed what the course of study is and how it can be defined, the major influences on the course of study ‘s development, viz. the stakeholders and the intent or ends of the course of study and instruction. Before we discuss the construction and development of the course of study, it is of import to be cognizant of where and how the course of study originated and why the course of study is structured the manner it is.Structure and Development of the CurriculumThe construction of the course of study and how it is developed caters for the broad scope of stakeholders involved while endeavoring to accomplish the best acquisition results for Australian pupils. The core-curriculum was developed through the Curriculum Development Centre ( CDC ) by the former Director, Malcolm Skilbeck in 1980. The 24-page papers â€Å" attempted to reconceptualise the bing school topics within a social-reconstructionist model † ( Marsh, 2010, p.11 ) . Even though parts of the core-curriculum were adopted in NSW, WA and NT, the development did non go on due to a deficiency of support for the CDC. As the decennaries passed, many efforts at developing a national course of study failed to do it successfully through its journey, eventually in 2008, under the Rudd Government, a National Curriculum Board ( NCB ) was created to develop a National Curriculum for pupils Kindergarten to Year 12, dwelling of four Key Learning Areas ( KLA ‘s ) – Mathematicss, English, History and Science, with extra constituents of general capablenesss and cross-curriculum dimensions working alongside these KLA ‘s ( Marsh, 2010 ) . ACARA ( 2009c ) was created to supervise the successful development of the Kindergarten to Year 12 Curriculum, plus the Senior Secondary Curriculum and the Early Old ages Curriculum Framework. Below outlines the four phases involved in the development of the Australian Curriculum Kindergarten to Year 12. Curriculum determining stage- This involves the development of the bill of exchange form paper, where adept advice is requested and endorsed by ACARA ‘s board for public feedback. This creates the concluding form paper, dwelling of an lineation of the Australian course of study including design advice for larning countries. Curriculum composing phase – A squad consisting of authors, course of study experts, and ACARA curriculum staff developing the Australian course of study. The information includes content description and achievement criterions ; to accomplish this, the squad refers to national and international research on course of study, while besides mentioning to current province and district course of studies. After public feedback and necessary alterations, the Australian course of study for the peculiar learning country is ready for publication. Execution phase – Execution programs are developed by ACARA and state/territory course of study and school governments ( ACARA, 2010b ) Evaluation and reappraisal phase – Implementation feedback is reviewed carefully via procedures that monitor this information. Below is a ocular snapshot of the constituents included in the National Curriculum to be implemented in the twelvemonth 2011. Beginning: ( ACARA, 2009a ) Each KLA contains a statement of principle, purposes, content construction and descriptions, and achievement criterions. Statement of rationale – Overview of the peculiar topic Aims – What pupils will accomplish from this topic Contented structure/organisation – How the topic is arranged/designed and the information involved Contented description – specifies what instructors are expected to learn for each larning country at each twelvemonth degree, besides provides the range and sequence of learning Accomplishment criterions – describes the quality of larning e.g. the understanding, cognition and skill pupils are required to accomplish at each twelvemonth degree. While the National course of study will maintain the original construction of range and sequence for the KLA ‘s, it is apparent the new course of study has become more elaborate and involved, by presenting general capablenesss and cross-curriculum dimensions in add-on to the KLA ‘s, instructors may happen it hard to be able to acquire through all the needed content in the clip allocated, while some may necessitate farther intensive preparation to increase their cognition in certain countries such as History. â€Å" Few primary instructors have a sufficient background in History and that they will necessitate concentrated preparation to develop academic and pedagogical cognition in History † ( Harris-Hart, 2009 as cited in Marsh, 2010, p.26 ) , although ACARA ( 2010c ) states the cardinal focal point during course of study development is on deepness of larning and non breadth of acquisition, so as non to overcrowd the course of study. Since the Australian Curriculum has been collated from different constituents of the eight state/territory course of studies presently in operation, they have maintained the KLA ‘s, added general capablenesss and cross-curriculum dimensions while maintaining the bing construction for sequencing within the larning countries. ( REFERENCE ) For illustration, the NSW course of study comprises of six KLA ‘s for primary school and eight KLA ‘s for secondary school. Below is a ocular snapshot of the NSW Primary course of study. Beginning: ( NSW-BOS, 2008 ) Schools in New South Wales use the Kindergarten to Year 10 Curriculum Framework as the foundation of what, how and when the content is to be taught, although the NSW Board of Studies acknowledges that schools and instructors take duty for the manner in which the content is organised and delivered ( NSW-BOS, 2002a ) . NSW primary instructors use the NSW Primary Curriculum Foundation Statements to happen out what needs to be taught in each topic. The six topics within the NSW course of study are English, Mathematics, Science and Technology, Personal Development, Health and Physical Education ( PDHPE ) , Human Society and Its Environment ( HSIE ) and Creative humanistic disciplines ( NSW-BOS, 2002b ) , while the Australian Curriculum takes into consideration two new constituents that will heighten the acquisition procedure by working alongside the four KLA ‘s, these constituents are ten ( 10 ) general capablenesss and three ( 3 ) cross-curriculum dimensions. â€Å" The 10 ( 10 ) general capablenesss are: literacy, numeracy, information and communicating engineering, believing accomplishments, ethical behavior, creativeness, self-management, teamwork, intercultural apprehension and societal competency. The three ( 3 ) cross-curriculum dimensions are: Autochthonal history and civilization, Asia and Australia ‘s battle with Asia and Sustainability ( ACARA, 2010a ) .DecisionThe Curriculum is a planned description of the what, how and when of instruction, larning and appraisal, it is the foundation for scholars, pupils and instructors while being influenced by the many stakeholders that want a share/input in the way of the Curriculum. The construction and development of the Australian Curriculum includes many constituents such as instruction, larning and appraisal which have focused on the deepness of larning non the comprehensiveness. Throughout this paper it is besides apparent that the Australian Curriculum has been influenced by the theories of instruc tion and larning from several theoreticians such as Piaget, Bloom, Krathwohl, Vygotsky, Bruner and Maslow ‘s taxonomy. In add-on, we must maintain in head that by understanding our pupils altering nature and their diversenesss, the Australian Curriculum has the chance to be in the head of instruction and acquisition in the twenty-first Century.

Work Sheet

* * Scavenger Hunt Worksheet Assignment Background: The point of this assignment is to get you to search and become familiar with the GCU Learning Management System (LMS) LoudCloud and the GCU web site. These two sites have many resources to help you be a successful student. Assignment Instructions: Answer the following questions that require you to search the LoudCloud classroom and GCU web site. Feel free to search around the sites until you find the things you are looking for. LoudCloud Questions 1.After logging into the LoudCloud classroom, list the tabs and other items on the screen when you first enter a course in LoudCloud. 2. From the course home page in LoudCloud, click on the â€Å"Tasks† tab and then click on â€Å"Forums†. Make notes on the various forums and their purposes. * * 3. Find the Student Success Center under the Resources Tab. Click on this link. List some of the services provided to students at this link. * * 4. Inside the Student Success Center, click on the Writing Center link. Click on LoudCloud Courses.What writing style is required for 100- and 200-level courses at GCU? 5. Inside the Student Success Center, click on the Support Services link. List the services available at this link. 6. Inside the Student Success Center, click on the Succeed at GCU link. Click on the GCU Tutorials link at the bottom of the page. What tutorials are available for students at this link? 7. Click on the Resources Tab in the LoudCloud classroom. List each section. Review each section and list what you find in it. 8.Click on the Course Home link the left-hand corner of the screen. List some of the components found on this page. 9. Go to http://library. gcu. edu. Click on the Frequently Asked Questions (on the left) link. List how a GCU student finds a Book, DVD, streaming video, or other multimedia at the GCU library: * GCU Web site Questions (http://www. gcu. edu) 1. Locate and click the Spiritual Life link on the right side of the screen. You will notice a navigation pane on the left side of the screen. Click the â€Å"+† sign next to Chapel and the Gathering.What information is listed under Chapel and the Gathering? 2. On the Home page, locate and click the Current Students button on the right side of the screen. Scroll down the page. What links are listed under the Student Resources section? 3. On the Home page, locate and click on the Resources tab at the top of the screen. Click the Technical Support link listed under the Support Services section. What information can be found under Technical Support? 4. On the Home page, click on the Contact Us tab which is located just above the home page footer.This is where you can locate phone numbers and addresses of the colleges, the main GCU switchboard, and the Student Services offices. List the phone numbers of the following departments located in the Student Contact Information section: * Career Services- * Center for Learning Advancement- * Academic Advising- * Finance Counselors- * Office of Academic Records- * Technical Support 5. On the Home page, notice the icons on the top right header area. What are the other icons listed next to theâ€Å"† for the GCU Facebook page? 6. On the Home page, click the About Us tab located at the top.What is the vision and mission statement for Grand Canyon University? 7. Also under the About Us tab, locate the four pillars of Grand Canyon University. 8. Navigate from the About Us tab to the Academics tab. Read about Accreditation near the bottom of the page. What did you learn? 9. Navigate from the Academics tab to the Student Life tab. Scroll down the page to locate and click on Bookstore. Click the Online Bookstores link and then through to the Grand Canyon Online Students section. What sort of materials can a student purchase from this site?

Nursing Theory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Nursing Theory - Essay Example As the report declares the Roy Adaptation Model has both scientific and philosophical aspects. The scientific aspect of the model Is systems of matter and energy progress to higher levels of complex self-organization. This discussion stresses that John B. Watson was a behaviorist and therefore he emphasized the study of observable behavior. His nursing model, rejected introspection &theories of the unconscious mind. The scientific and philosophical aspects of his nursing model were similar because of this. He described behavior in terms of terms of physiological responses to stimuli. Barone et al 1996. His theory and nursing model was primarily concerned with the increasing or decreasing of the likelihood of given response by manipulating the consequences of the response. Although Watson’s model is not very large on the philosophical tenets he did have a legitimate nursing model that is still implemented and taught in many schools of nursing to this day. Although both Roy’s and Watson’s models are widely accepted and taught there are some who argue that these models are not feasible. In regard to Roy’s model there are arguments that contend this model is in a sense to l iberal to work. By that it is meant that the model is too personalized and requires a one on one implementation of the model for it to work. Those who reject this model feel that it is not feasible for a nurse with other duties and obligations to have the time to render this type of aide to patients.

Professional Ethics and Responsibilities in Computer Technology Research Paper

Professional Ethics and Responsibilities in Computer Technology - Research Paper Example However, software developers, individuals and businesses have to think about the rights and wrongs of making use of the information technology every day. The basic concerns essential to the world of IT are the end user's anticipations of privacy and the provider's ethical responsibility to utilize email or applications (Katers, 2012). Due to quickly changing environment of information technology, new and complex ethical concerns are emerging that bring into question the capability of society to tackle, and self-confidently resolve them. These serious issues and concerns are taking place in different fields such as information technology, biotechnology, nuclear technology, nanotechnology (Kastenberg, 2011). This paper discusses the role of the professional ethics and responsibilities in computer technology. The basic aim of this research is to discuss the importance and relevance of computer ethics in information technology. ... Moreover, in a business environment, some of the important professional ethical issues can be: (Sembok, 2003; Duke University, 2011) Managing human resource issues Impartiality in data analysis and professional consulting Data privacy Resolution of conflicts of interest Professional accountability Software piracy Academic honesty Adherence to confidentiality agreements In addition, the problems and issues of IT Ethics have recently turned out to be the biggest challenge for business organizations as well as individuals. In this scenario, the potential to put huge material on the web has attracted a vast majority of people. However, developing systems and applications have quietly concealed the issues and complexities as well as aggravations that were concerned in writing HTML; increasingly websites are being developed by people with a comparatively diffident quantity of computer systems (Schweitzer, 2005). The incorporation of new technology based systems has been almost never so sim ple. Moreover, as the web started to expand out of its shortened immaturity, a wide variety of new problems and concerns emerged repeatedly, and a majority of concerns and issues remained unresolved. Moreover, a lot of problems and concerns hold powerful ethics related data and information content. As the potential to arrive at millions of people immediately has passed into the hands of the individuals, the quick emergence of thorny ethical concerns is probable to carry-on unabated (Schweitzer, 2005). Common Dilemmas As ethics is not a black-and-white topic, the choices we formulate could affect our business or even our living. There are numerous ethical problems that can happen while making use of networking, social media or any IT based

The Network Society - How Has It Changed in Humans' Work And Interacti Essay - 1

The Network Society - How Has It Changed in Humans' Work And Interaction - Essay Example Communication networks are inseparable from network society (Yang & Bergrud, 2008). Without digital communication, there is no real basis for a network society. We are living in the 21st century, without digital transfer of knowledge, information, news, finances, messages, there will be huge incoordination between the pace of electronic media and the fabric of society. Manuel Castells even goes to the length of saying that without accounting for the tools (electronic facilities like the internet) there is no possibility of comprehending or depicting the society (Yang & Bergrud, 2008). Network society is a blessing at one hand but it also creates some complications. The network can become very complex as digital information is readily available (billions of dollars can be transferred from one bank account to another by pressing ENTER of the computer keyboard). For this to work for the administration and public, all departments and sections of the society need to work in cooperation.

Students Learning Abilities Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Students Learning Abilities - Essay Example Students are often advised by teachers and other elders to study for examinations over a period of time, as opposed to ‘cramming’ on the day before a test. Experimental research shows that spacing, a process where information is acquired in small bits over a period of time, allows better retention of facts in memory than when massed learning is used, where it is attempted to absorb all the information in one short sitting. However, the practice of cramming continues- mainly because many students succeed in getting through their examinations by this practice.In the experiments on spaced learning cited above, rote-learning was emphasized on, and participants had to recall facts. The experiments involved testing only vocabulary or obscure facts, which occupy only a small part of education. Whether the subjects were interested or enthusiastic about memorizing these facts and words is not certain. Interest in a topic has been found to have a notable effect on memory and recal l. Thus, it would be interesting to discover if the benefit of spacing persists if the information to be learned is to be understood, not just memorized, and is of particular interest to the student. My hypothesis is that test scores will be significantly higher when the studying is spaced out over days rather than done right before the test, even when a student is highly interested and enthusiastic about a subject - provided that there are no other conditions that would affect test performance.... Thus, it would be interesting to discover if the benefit of spacing persists if the information to be learned is to be understood, not just memorized, and is of particular interest to the student. My hypothesis is that test scores will be significantly higher when the studying is spaced out over days rather than done right before the test, even when a student is highly interested and enthusiastic about a subject - provided that there are no other conditions that would affect test performance. This prediction is based on my observation that very good students who do well on exams usually begin preparing for tests well ahead of time. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of spacing on test results when the topic is of academic interest to the students. Methods This is an experimental study to determine the difference in test results when two different preparatory approaches are used. The independent study variable will be the type of studying routine that was used, and t he student’s status as being interested in Biology or not. The average test score of the group will be the dependent variable. An experimental design has been chosen in order to ensure that the test preparation time and preparatory material covered is similar and measurable for all the participants in a group. Biology has been chosen as the subject, as it involves reading and understanding, not just memorizing of facts, and is a topic which is highly interesting for some students, and the opposite for others. Various confounding factors could affect the results of this study. First, a group with a higher number of smarter students would have a higher average score. To control for this factor, participants will be assorted into the groups using stratification for

Work Place Culture Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Work Place Culture - Essay Example In conclusion, Nigeria, China and Brazil have different cultural practices that are shaped by their living environments. For instance, the Chinese culture of social networks is shaped by their living behavior whereby they value friendship and family values. On this note, the identified opportunities and challenges in the cultural practice of workers in these countries conform with that of the company. Based on these facts, in order to be successful in investing in countries such as Nigeria, China, as well as Brazil, there is a need for the organization to form a task force that will investigate deeply these cultural values, and thereafter find a solution on how to integrate these cultural values, so that they may conform with the work culture of the organization. It is important to provide an explanation that the management should not thrive to change these culture because it would fail. This is because most people are always resistant to change. A good example of a business initiati ve that failed because of failure to integrate different cultures into an organization is the merger between Daimler and Chrysler. In this merger, Daimler, a German company acquired Chrysler an American company. To prevent this scenario from happening, there is a need of the company to try and change its organizational culture, to reflect the working cultures of the country it is investing in, and without compromising the core values of the company, which includes hard work, and production of high-quality services.

E-Learning Motivate Individuals to Learn and Motivate Career Literature review

E-Learning Motivate Individuals to Learn and Motivate Career Progression - Literature review Example According to Roberts (2006), many online learners neglect their courses complaining that they don't have enough time as some of the courses could only be viewed on the company's intranet and the distraction from the other colleagues made it impossible to complete the course during working hours. The importance of completing the course was not clearly emphasized by the management and the immediate supervisor and the course instructor did not check on the learners' performance thus resulting in de-motivation for the students. The courses were poorly designed and a certain aspect of the modules wasn't relevant to the employees' job. The course could not be customized according to the learner's preference, for instance, they were not given a choice of information delivery, i.e. in audio or text. the employees and a shocking number of them did not know how to go about using the programme as the guidelines were brief and insufficient especially to the computer illiterates. The students could not depend on their instructors as some then were inexperienced, thus they were not an ideal source of knowledge for the students. Furthermore, many corporate learners felt isolated during the learning process. Especially those who underwent asynchronous course left rather distant and boredom began to envelop them, whereas, in synchronous courses, employees completion rate were by far much better. At Sun Microsystems and NYUonline completion rates rose up to 75% with synchronous courses, however, the remaining students felt that the participation level of interaction and collaboration was low. To further enhance Barab (2000) findings, both The Learning Guild (2003) and University of Glasgow (2003) had used Vincent Tinto's Retention Model to explain that learners withdraw from their courses either from academic or social integration.

Euroland food Essay Example for Free

Euroland food Essay In early January 2001, the senior-management committee of Euroland Foods was to meet to draw up the firm’s capital budget for the new year. Up for consideration were 11 major projects that totaled more than â‚ ¬316 million. Unfortunately, the board of directors had imposed a spending limit on capital projects of only â‚ ¬120 million; even so, investment at that rate would represent a major increase in the firm’s current asset base of â‚ ¬965 million. Thus, the challenge for the senior managers of Euroland Foods was to allocate funds among a range of compelling projects: new-product introduction, acquisition, market expansion, efficiency improvements, preventive maintenance, safety, and pollution control. The Company Euroland Foods, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, was a multinational producer of high-quality ice cream, yogurt, bottled water, and fruit juices. Its products were sold throughout Scandinavia, Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, western Germany, and northern France. (See Exhibit 1 for a map of the company’s marketing region.) The company was founded in 1924 by Theo Verdin, a Belgian farmer, as an offshoot of his dairy business. Through keen attention to product development and shrewd marketing, the business grew steadily over the years. The company went public in 1979, and, by 1993, was listed for trading on the London, Frankfurt, and Brussels exchanges. In 2000, Euroland Foods had sales of almost â‚ ¬1.6 billion. Ice cream accounted for 60 percent of the company’s revenue; yogurt, which was introduced in 1982, contributed about 20 percent. The remaining 20 percent of sales was divided equally between bottled water and fruit juices. Euroland Foods’ flagship brand name was â€Å"Rolly,† which was represented by a fat dancing bear in farmer’s clothing. Ice cream, the company’s leading product, had a loyal base of customers who sought out its high-butterfat content, large chunks of chocolate, fruit, and nuts, and wide range of original flavors. This case was prepared by Casey Opitz and Robert F. Bruner and draws certain elements from an antecedent case by them. All names are fictitious. The financial support of the Batten Institute is gratefully acknowledged. The case was written as a basis for class discussion rather than to illustrate effective or ineffective handling of an administrative situation. Copyright ï £ © 2001 by the University of Virginia Darden School Foundation, Charlottesville, VA. All rights reserved. To order copies, send an e-mail to [emailprotected] No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise—without the permission of the Darden School Foundation. Euroland Foods’ sales had been static since 1998 (see Exhibit 2), which management attributed to low population growth in northern Europe and market saturation in some areas. Outside observers, however, faulted recent failures in new-product introductions. Most members of management wanted to expand the company’s market presence and introduce more new products to boost sales. These managers hoped that increased market presence and sales would improve the company’s market value. Euroland Foods’ stock was currently at 14 times earnings, just below book value. This price/earnings ratio was below the trading multiples of comparable companies, and it gave little value to the company’s brands. Resource Allocation The capital budget at Euroland Foods was prepared annually by a committee of senior managers, who then presented it for approval to the board of directors. The committee consisted of five managing directors, the prà ©sident directeur-gà ©nà ©ral (PDG), and the finance director. Typically, the PDG solicited investment proposals from the managing directors. The proposals included a brief project description, a financial analysis, and a discussion of strategic or other qualitative considerations. As a matter of policy, investment proposals at Euroland Foods were subject to two financial tests, payback and internal rate of return (IRR). The tests, or hurdles, had been established in 1999 by the management committee and varied according to the type of project: Minimum In January 2001, the estimated weighted-average cost of capital (WACC) for Euroland Foods was 10.6 percent. In describing the capital-budgeting process, the finance director, Trudi Lauf, said, We use the sliding scale of IRR tests as a way of recognizing differences in risk among the various types of projects. Where the company takes more risk, we should earn more return. The payback test signals that we are not prepared to wait for long to achieve that return. Ownership and the Sentiment of Creditors and Investors Euroland Foods’ 12-member board of directors included three members of the Verdin family, four members of management, and five outside directors who were prominent managers or public figures in northern Europe. Members of the Verdin family combined owned 20 percent of Euroland Foods’ shares outstanding, and company executives combined owned 10 percent of the shares. Venus Asset Management, a mutual-fund management company in London, held 12 percent. Banque du Bruges et des Pays Bas held 9 percent and had one representative on the board of directors. The remaining 49 percent of the firm’s shares were widely held. The firm’s shares traded in Brussels and Frankfurt. At a debt-to-equity ratio of 125 percent, Euroland Foods was leveraged much more highly than its peers in the European consumer-foods industry. Management had relied on debt financing significantly in the past few years to sustain the firm’s capital spending and dividends during a period of price wars initiated by Euroland. Now, with the price wars finished, Euroland’s bankers (led by Banque du Bruges) strongly urged an aggressive program of debt reduction. In any event, they were not prepared to finance increases in leverage beyond the current level. The president of Banque du Bruges had remarked at a recent board meeting, Restoring some strength to the right-hand side of the balance sheet should now be a first priority. Any expansion of assets should be financed from the cash flow after debt amortization until the debt ratio returns to a more prudent level. If there are crucial investments that cannot be funded this way, then we should cut the dividend! At a price-to-earnings ratio of 14 times, shares of Euroland Foods common stock were priced below the average multiples of peer companies and the average multiples of all companies on the exchanges where Euroland Foods was traded. This was attributable to the recent price wars, which had suppressed the company’s profitability, and to the well-known recent failure of the company to seize significant market share with a new product line of flavored mineral water. Since January 2000, all the major securities houses had been issuing â€Å"sell† recommendations to investors in Euroland Foods’ shares. Venus Asset Management had quietly accumulated shares during this period, however, in the expectation of a turnaround in the firm’s performance. At the most recent board meeting, the senior managing director of Venus gave a presentation in which he said, Cutting the dividend is unthinkable, as it would signal a lack of faith in your own future. Selling new shares of stock at this depressed price level is also unthinkable, as it would impose unacceptable dilution on your current shareholders. Your equity investors expect an improvement in performance. If that improvement is not forthcoming, or worse, if investors’ hopes are dashed, your shares might fall into the hands of raiders like Carlo de Benedetti or the Flick brothers.1 At the conclusion of the most recent meeting of the directors, the board voted unanimously to limit capital spending in 2001 to â‚ ¬120 million. Members of the Senior-Management Committee Seven senior managers of Euroland Foods would prepare the capital budget. For consideration, each project had to be sponsored by one of the managers present. Usually the decision process included a period of discussion followed by a vote on two to four alternative capital budgets. The various executives were well known to each other: Wilhelmina Verdin (Belgian), PDG, age 57. Granddaughter of the founder and spokesperson on the board of directors for the Verdin family’s interests. Worked for the company her entire career, with significant experience in brand management. Elected â€Å"European Marketer of the Year† in 1982 for successfully introducing low-fat yogurt and ice cream, the first major roll-out of this type of product. Eager to position the company for long-term growth but cautious in the wake of recent difficulties. Trudi Lauf (Swiss), finance director, age 51. Hired from Nestlà © in 1995 to modernize financial controls and systems. Had been a vocal proponent of reducing leverage on the balance sheet. Also had voiced the concerns and frustrations of stockholders. Heinz Klink (German), managing director for Distribution, age 49. Oversaw the transportation, warehousing, and order-fulfillment activities in the company. Spoilage, transport costs, stock-outs, and control systems were perennial challenges. Maarten Leyden (Dutch), managing director for Production and Purchasing, age 59. Managed production operations at the company’s 14 plants. Engineer by training. Tough negotiator, especially with unions and suppliers. A fanatic about production-cost control. Had voiced doubts about the sincerity of creditors’ and investors’ commitment to the firm. Marco Ponti (Italian), managing director for Sales, age 45. Oversaw the field sales force of 250 representatives and planned changes in geographical sales coverage. The most vocal proponent of rapid expansion on the senior-management committee. Saw several opportunities for ways to improve geographical positioning. Hired from Unilever in 1993 to revitalize the sales organization, which he successfully accomplished. De Benedetti of Milan and the Flick brothers of Munich were leaders of prominent hostile-takeover attempts in recent years. Fabienne Morin (French), managing director for Marketing, age 41. Responsible for marketing research, new-product development, advertising, and, in general, brand management. The primary advocate of the recent price war, which, although financially difficult, realized solid gains in market share. Perceived a â€Å"window of opportunity† for product and market expansion and tended to support growth-oriented projects. Nigel Humbolt (British), managing director for Strategic Planning, age 47. Hired two years previously from a well-known consulting firm to set up a strategic-planning staff for Euroland Foods. Known for asking difficult and challenging questions about Euroland’s core business, its maturity, and profitability. Supported initiatives aimed at growth and market share. Had presented the most aggressive proposals in 2000, none of which were accepted. Becoming frustrated with what he perceived to be his lack of influence in the organization. Humbolt, Strategic Planning 1. Replacement and expansion of the truck fleet. Heinz Klink proposed to purchase 100 new refrigerated tractor-trailer trucks, 50 each in 2001 and 2002. By doing so, the company could sell 60 old, fully depreciated trucks over the two years for a total of â‚ ¬4.05 million. The purchase would expand the fleet by 40 trucks within two years. Each of the new trailers would be larger than the old trailers and afford a 15 percent increase in cubic meters of goods hauled on each trip. The new tractors would also be more fuel and maintenance efficient. The increase in number of trucks would permit more flexible scheduling and more efficient routing and servicing of the fleet than at present and would cut delivery times and, therefore, possibly inventories. It would also allow more frequent deliveries to the company’s major markets, which would reduce the loss of sales caused by stock-outs. Finally, expanding the fleet would support geographical expansion over the long term. As shown in Exhibit 3, the total net investment in trucks of â‚ ¬30 million and the increase in working capital to support added maintenance, fuel, payroll, and inventories of â‚ ¬3 million was expected to yield total cost savings and added sales potential of â‚ ¬11.6 million over the next seven years. The resulting IRR was estimated to be 7.8 percent, marginally below the minimum 8 percent required return on efficiency projects. Some of the managers wondered if this project would be more properly classified as â€Å"efficiency† than â€Å"expansion.† 2. A new plant. Maarten Leyden noted that Euroland Foods’ yogurt and ice-cream sales in the southeastern region of the company’s market were about to exceed the capacity of its Melun, France, manufacturing and packaging plant. At present, some of the demand was being met by shipments from the company’s newest, most efficient facility, located in Strasbourg, France. Shipping costs over that distance were high, however, and some sales were undoubtedly being lost when the marketing effort could not be supported by delivery. Leyden proposed that a new manufacturing and packaging plant be built in Dijon, France, just at the current southern edge of Euroland Foods’ marketing region, to take the burden off the Melun and Strasbourg plants. The cost of this plant would be â‚ ¬37.5 million and would entail â‚ ¬7.5 million for working capital. The â‚ ¬21 million worth of equipment would be amortized over 7 years, and the plant over 10 years. Through an increase in sales and depreciation, and the decrease in delivery costs, the plant was expected to yield after-tax cash flows totaling â‚ ¬35.6 million and an IRR of 11.3 percent over the next 10 years. This project would be classified as a market extension. 3. Expansion of a plant. In addition to the need for greater production capacity in Euroland Foods’ southeastern region, its Nuremberg, Germany, plant had reached full capacity. This situation made the scheduling of routine equipment maintenance difficult, which, in turn, created production scheduling and deadline problems. This plant was one of two highly automated facilities that produced Euroland Foods’ entire line of bottled water, mineral water, and fruit juices. The Nuremberg plant supplied central and western Europe. (The other plant, near Copenhagen, Denmark, supplied Euroland Foods’ northern European markets.) The Nuremberg plant’s capacity could be expanded by 20 percent for â‚ ¬15 million. The equipment (â‚ ¬10.5 million) would be depreciated over 7 years, and the plant over 10 years. The increased capacity was expected to result in additional production of up to â‚ ¬2.25 million a year, yielding an IRR of 11.2 percent. This project would be classified as a market extension. 4. Development and roll-out of snack foods. Fabienne Morin suggested that the company use the excess capacity at its Antwerp spice- and nut-processing facility to produce a line of dried fruits to be test-marketed in Belgium, Britain, and the Netherlands. She noted the strength of the Rolly brand in those countries and the success of other food and beverage companies that had expanded into snack-food production. She argued that Euroland Foods’ reputation for wholesome, quality products would be enhanced by a line of dried fruits and that name association with the new product would probably even lead to increased sales of the company’s other products among health-conscious consumers. Equipment and working-capital investments were expected to total â‚ ¬22.5 million and â‚ ¬4.5 million, respectively, for this project. The equipment would be depreciated over seven years. Assuming the test market was successful, cash flows from the project would be able to support further plant expansions in other strategic locations. The IRR was expected to be 13.4 percent, slightly above the required return of 12 percent for new-product projects. 5. Plant automation and conveyer systems. Maarten Leyden also requested â‚ ¬21 million to increase automation of the production lines at six of the company’s older plants. The result would be improved throughput speed and reduced accidents, spillage, and production tie-ups. The last two plants the company had built included conveyer systems that eliminated the need for any heavy lifting by employees. The systems reduced the chance of injury by employees; at the six older plants, the company had sustained an average of 223 missed-worker-days per year per plant in the last two years because of muscle injuries sustained in heavy lifting. At an average hourly total compensation rate of â‚ ¬14.00 an hour, more than â‚ ¬150,000 a year were thus lost, and the possibility always existed of more-serious injuries and lawsuits. Overall, cost savings and depreciation totaling â‚ ¬4.13 million a year for the project were expected to yield an IRR of 8.7 percent. This project would be classed in the efficiency category. 6. Effluent-water treatment at four plants. Euroland Foods preprocessed a variety of fresh fruits at its Melun and Strasbourg plants. One of the first stages of processing involved cleaning the fruit to remove dirt and pesticides. The dirty water was simply sent down the drain and into the Seine or Rhine Rivers. Recent European Community directives called for any wastewater containing even slight traces of poisonous chemicals to be treated at the sources, and gave companies four years to comply. As an environmentally oriented project, this proposal fell outside the normal financial tests of project attractiveness. Leyden noted, however, that the water-treatment equipment could be purchased today for â‚ ¬6 million; he speculated that the same equipment would cost â‚ ¬15 million in four years when immediate conversion became mandatory. In the intervening time, the company would run the risks that European Community regulators would shorten the compliance time or that the company’s pollution record would become public and impair the image of the company in the eyes of the consumer. This project would be classed in the environmental category. 7 and 8. Market expansions southward and eastward. Marco Ponti recommended that the company expand its market southward to include southern France, Switzerland, Italy, and Spain, and/or eastward to include eastern Germany, Poland, Czechoslovakia, and Austria. He believed the time was right to expand sales of ice cream, and perhaps yogurt, geographically. In theory, the company could sustain expansions in both directions simultaneously, but practically, Ponti doubted that the sales and distribution organizations could sustain both expansions at once. Each alternative geographical expansion had its benefits and risks. If the company expanded eastward, it could reach a large population with a great appetite for frozen dairy products, but it would also face more competition from local and regional ice-cream manufacturers. Moreover, consumers in eastern Germany, Poland, and Czechoslovakia did not have the purchasing power that consumers did to the south. The eastward expansion would have to be supplied from plants in Nuremberg, Strasbourg, and Hamburg. Looking southward, the tables were turned: more purchasing power and less competition but also a smaller consumer appetite for ice cream and yogurt. A southward expansion would require building consumer demand for premium-quality yogurt and ice cream. If neither of the plant proposals (i.e., proposals 2 and 3) was accepted, then the southward expansion would need to be supplied from plants in Melun, Strasbourg, and Rouen. The initial cost of either proposal was â‚ ¬30 million of working capital. The bulk of this project’s costs was expected to involve the financing of distributorships, but over the 10-year forecast period, the distributors would gradually take over the burden of carrying receivables and inventory. Both expansion proposals assumed the rental of suitable warehouse and distribution facilities. The after-tax cash flows were expected to total â‚ ¬56.3 million for southward expansion and â‚ ¬48.8 million for eastward expansion. Marco Ponti pointed out that southward expansion meant a higher possible IRR but that moving eastward was a less risky proposition. The projected IRRs were 21.4 percent and 18.8 percent for southern and eastern expansion, respectively. These projects would be classed in the market-extension category. 9. Development and introduction of new artificially sweetened yogurt and ice cream. Fabienne Morin noted that recent developments in the synthesis of artificial sweeteners were showing promise of significant cost savings to food and beverage producers as well as stimulating growing demand for low-calorie products. The challenge was to create the right flavor to complement or enhance the other ingredients. For ice-cream manufacturers, the difficulty lay in creating a balance that would result in the same flavor as was obtained when using natural sweeteners; artificial sweeteners might, of course, create a superior taste. In addition, â‚ ¬27 million would be needed to commercialize a yogurt line that had received promising results in laboratory tests. This cost included acquiring specialized production facilities, working capital, and the cost of the initial product introduction. The overall IRR was estimated to be 20.5 percent. Morin stressed that the proposal, although highly uncertain in terms of actual results, could be viewed as a means of protecting present market share, because other high-quality-icecream producers carrying out the same research might introduce these products; if the Rolly brand did not carry an artificially sweetened line and its competitors did, the Rolly brand might suffer. Morin also noted the parallels between innovating with artificial sweeteners and the company’s past success in introducing low-fat products. This project would be classed in the new-product category of investments. 10. Networked, computer-based inventory-control system for warehouses and field representatives. Heinz Klink had pressed unsuccessfully for three years for a state-of-the-art computer-based inventory-control system that would link field sales representatives, distributors, drivers, warehouses, and possibly even retailers. The benefits of such a system would be shorter delays in ordering and order processing, better control of inventory, reduction of spoilage, and faster recognition of changes in demand at the customer level. Klink was reluctant to quantify these benefits, because they could range between modest and quite large amounts. This year, for the first time, he presented a cash-flow forecast, however, that reflected an initial outlay of â‚ ¬18 million for the system, followed by â‚ ¬4.5 million in the next year for ancillary equipment. The inflows reflected depreciation tax shields, tax credits, cost reductions in warehousing, and reduced inventory. He forecast these benefits to last for only three years. Even so, the project’s IRR was estimated to be 16.2 percent. This project would be classed in the efficiency category of proposals. 11. Acquisition of a leading schnapps2 brand and associated facilities. Nigel Humbolt had advocated making diversifying acquisitions in an effort to move beyond the company’s mature core business but doing so in a way that exploited the company’s skills in brand management. He had explored six possible related industries in the general field of consumer packaged goods, and determined that cordials and liqueurs offered unusual opportunities for real growth and, at the same time, market protection through branding. He had identified four small producers of well-established brands of liqueurs as acquisition candidates. Following exploratory talks with each, he had determined that only one company could be purchased in the near future, namely, the leading private European manufacturer of schnapps, located in Munich. The proposal was expensive: â‚ ¬25 million to buy the company and â‚ ¬30 million to renovate the company’s facilities completely while simultaneously expanding distribution to new geographical markets. The expected returns were high: after-tax cash flows were projected to be â‚ ¬198.5 million, yielding an IRR of 27.5 percent. This project would be classed in the newproduct category of proposals. Conclusion Each member of the management committee was expected to come to the meeting prepared to present and defend a proposal for the allocation of Euroland Foods’ caital budget of â‚ ¬120 million. Exhibit 3 summarizes the various projects in terms of their free cash flows and the investment-performance criteria. Any of various strong dry liquors, such as a strong Dutch gin. Definition borrowed from American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. UVA-F-1356 Exhibit 1 EUROLAND FOODS S.A. Nations Where Euroland Competed Note: The shaded area in this map reveals the principal distribution region of Euroland’s products. Important facilities are indicated by the following figures: 1 The effluent treatment program is not included in this exhibit. The equivalent annuity of a project is that level annual payment that yields a net present value equal to the NPV at the minimum required rate of return for that project. Annuity corrects for differences in duration among various projects. In ranking projects on the basis of equivalent annuity, bigger annuities create more investor wealth than smaller annuities. This reflects â‚ ¬16.5 million spent both initially and at the end of year 1. 4 Free cash flow = incremental profit or cost savings after taxes + depreciation investment in fixed assets and working capital. Franchisees would gradually take over the burden of carrying receivables and inventory. 6 â‚ ¬25 million would be spent in the first year, â‚ ¬30 million in the second, and â‚ ¬5 million in the third. 2 View as multi-pages

Criminological Praxis And Tearoom Trade Media Essay

Criminological Praxis And Tearoom Trade Media Essay Laud Humphreys study of the tearoom trade has proved to be an extremely controversial piece of research, so controversial in fact that many called for his PhD to be revoked. Humphreys used covert observation in order to study impersonal sexual encounters between men in public restrooms, this is an extremely controversial subject, and was even more so at the time when the research was undertaken; furthermore, covert research is often heavily criticised for being unethical, leading to additional controversy. Covert research is where researchers go undercover to obtain their information. To lessen the potential for reactive effects and to gain entry to otherwise inaccessible settings, some researchers have adopted the role of a covert participant. By doing so they keep their research secret and do their best to act like other participants in a social setting or group. (Bachman and Schutt, 2007:267) This essay will explore whether the controversy surrounding the tearoom trade is a result of the subject matter studied, or the methodological approach used. The research undertaken by Humphreys will be discussed in some detail, describing what the research consisted of, and evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the methodology. Consideration will also be given to the use of covert research in general, assessing the pros and cons of the method, as well as covert research conducted by other researchers. Laud Humphreys conducted his research in the 1960s and his book Tearoom Trade: A study of homosexual encounters in public places was published in 1970, with a second edition published in 1975. Humphreys carried out his research in order to determine who the men were, who were willing to risk arrest in order to indulge in impersonal sex in public places, as well as to uncover the dynamics of the encounters between the men involved, and discover what this could tell us about human behaviour. The main finding of his research was that the majority of individuals engaging in homosexual activities within the tearoom led the rest of their lives at heterosexuals. Humphreys used covert methods in order to enter in to the tearoom. A tearoom is a public toilet where men meet for sex with other men. (Banyard and Flanagan, 2005:27) Humphreys (1970, pp page 2-3) suggests that the reason public restrooms are so ideal for impersonal sex is because they can provide both a public and private setting. Public restrooms are easily accessible, yet they provide little public visibility. Due to this Humphreys focused his study on restrooms within public parks, as they were often frequented by men seeking instant sex due to their easy access and limited use by general members of the public. In order to be accepted by the participants of the tearoom trade, Humphreys, assumed the role of tearoom watchqueen by serving as a lookout with the responsibility to warn of approaching strangers in exchange for the right to observe the homosexual activity. (Kimmel, 1988:22) By acting as the watchqueen, Humphreys was able to freely observe what was occurring in the tearooms without suspicion from the genuine participants. This use of deception has been heavily criticised by many, as deception within research is seen as highly unethical. Many social scientists feel that it is unethical for a researcher to conceal his identity to gain inside information. Others feel disguised observation is ethical as long as the welfare of the subjects is protected. (Fitzgerald and Cox, 2002:133) Although he did use deception, Humphreys did go to some lengths to protect his participants, which will be discussed later. Furthermore if he were to have entered the tearooms, and announced his role as a researcher, the likelihood is that all sexual activity would have been terminated and the men who frequented the tearooms would have left, either for fear of being discovered as a person who seeks impersonal sex, the fear or criminal conviction, or for the sheer fact of not wishing to be observed by a researcher. Even if the participants remained, it is likely that they would have altered their behaviour, as they knew they were being observed. If Humphreys had informed the tearoom goers of his research, the results which he obtained would probably not have been as valid, as the results he obtained by using covert methods. Another issue that arises from the use of covert methods and deception is that of informed consent. Covert participant observation is clearly a violation of the principle of informed consent. (Bulmer, 1982:218) Covert methods rely on the research subject being unaware of the research taking place; it can therefore be argued that by studying people without their prior knowledge is a breach of human rights. People should clearly have the right to decide whether or not to participate in any research, and their decision should be based on full understanding of what the research consists of, and how any personal information or data obtained will be used. Every code of ethics designed to guide research involving human subjects gives primacy to the requirement of fully informed voluntary consent on the part of the individual concerned. (Gregory, 2003:35) Humphreys research clearly violates this need for informed consent; however, it again can be argued that his research findings could not have been obtained by any other means. It is also important to note, that at the time the research was conducted, there were no professional guidelines making informed consent a research requirement. By observing the participants covertly it can be argued that Humphreys was also invading their right to privacy, however, as they were conducting private acts, in a public domain, is this criticism justifiable? Any male is free to enter the mens restroom, and observe the goings on, it was only by recording his observations that Humphreys can be criticised for invading privacy. As well as observing the homosexual acts conducted in the tearooms, Humphreys engaged in verbal relationships with twelve men he encountered during his research, he named these the intensive dozen. Humphreys revealed his true identity to these twelve men, informing them of his true reason for attending the tearooms. This enabled him to conduct in-depth interviews. With the help of some meals together and a number of drinks, all agreed to cooperate in subsequent interviewing sessions. (Humphreys, 1970:36) It can easily be argued that the intensive dozen, were the only participants in Humphreys study who gave full informed consent. Interestingly, especially to those who criticise Humphreys use of deception, Laud himself states that, Apart from the systematic observations themselves, these conversations constitute the richest source of data in the study. (Humphreys, 1970:37) This brings in to debate whether the covert methods used were really called for, as Humphreys obtained valuable information from the intensive dozen, by revealing to them his true identity and purpose. However, it could be argued, that without his use of deception, and the fact that he often frequented the tearooms, that the twelve men would not be willing to cooperate. If a total stranger had approached these men, would they be willing to confess all about their homosexual exploits? Social deviants inside restrooms and elsewhere develop careful defences against outsiders, including special gestures and extreme caution with strangers. (Warwick, 1982:39) Was it because they had become acquaintances with Humphreys already that they were willing to tell all? Unfortunately it is impossible to be able to answer these questions. In order to gain even more information about the men who participated in the tearoom trade, Humphreys made notes about the physical appearance of the men he observed as well as noting the licence plates of their vehicles. By posing as a market researcher Humphreys was able to obtain the registration details for the vehicles in question from a friendly policeman; again this procedure is ethically questionable as Humphreys once again used deception to gain private information about people. Upon receiving the names and addresses of the participants, he visited their homes and made observations and notes about the physical appearance of the house, as well as the location. Humphreys then took advantage of his role as a research associate for a local research centre. He was asked by the centre to produce a questionnaire for a social health survey, for men in the local community. Humphreys saw this as an opportunity to include the tearoom participants in the survey, selecting 50 participant s to be surveyed along with 50 other members of the community. Approximately a year after his attendance at the tearooms, he sufficiently altered his appearance, so that the tearoom participants would be unable to recognise him as the voyeuristic watchqueen, and proceeded to enter their homes, under the premise of a social worker, in order to conduct the social health survey. This again raises ethical issues, as Humphreys is once again using deception to enter in to the private domain of the men he is researching, and because of this deception he was able to gain private information under false pretences. It may also be argued that Humphreys was putting his participants in harms way, as the issue of impersonal homosexual encounters is a sensitive one. As many of the men he surveyed led heterosexual lives, with wives and families, he was putting them in real danger of being exposed, which may of led to their personal lifes being destroyed. However, regardless of how the information was obtained, Humphreys ensured he took every measure to prevent the information being used by anybody else, and to protect the anonymity and confidentiality of the participants. The British Sociological Association state that, The anonymity and privacy of those who participate in the research process should be respected. Personal information concerning research participants should be kept confidentialWhere possible, threats to the confidentiality and anonymity of research data should be anticipated by researchers. The identities and research records of those participating in research should be kept confidential Appropriate measures should be taken to store research data in a secure manner. (British Sociological Association, 2002) The survey data and all other research materials which were obtained by Humphreys, were secured in a safety deposit box, in a different city to where the research was conducted, and upon finishing with the data, it was destroyed. This is good ethical practice, despite the way the information was gathered. As the information was so sensitive, and could have been used for blackmailing purposes or to bring about criminal convictions, it was vital that Humphreys treated the information in such an appropriate way. So far, it is evident that one of the major controversies surrounding Humphreys research was his repeated use of deception. Warwick (1982:46) suggests that, Humphreys research provides a unique case study of deception. The concatenation of misrepresentation and disguises in this effort must surely hold the world record for field research. (Warwick,1982:46) Warwick then continues with a list of shortcomings regarding the research Humphreys conducted. Included in the list are the facts that Humphreys misrepresented his identity while serving as a watchqueen in public restrooms, the fact that he deceived the police in order to obtain personal information about the tearoom participants, and the fact he altered his appearance and conducted the surveys in disguise. When all the uses of deception are put so bluntly into a list, it is clear to see why there is such controversy surrounding the methodology used by Humphreys. But is this criticism unique to Humphreys work, or can it be applied to all covert research? Many people strongly object to the use of covert research, this essay will now explore why this is so. Roger Homan (1991, pp page 109-113) lists thirteen separate objections to the use of covert research. He argues that covert methods flout the principle of informed consent, help erode personal liberty, betray trust, pollute the research environment, are bad for the reputation of social research, discriminate against the defenceless and powerless, may damage the behaviour or interest of subjects, may become habitual in the everyday life of the person doing the research, are seldom necessary, have the effect of confining the scope of the research and finally he suggests that the researcher suffers excessive strain in maintaining the cover. With so many objections to covert research is it any wonder that Humphreys has been so heavily criticised for his work? All these objections and criticisms of covert methods, begs the question, why do some researchers employ covert methods? Many researchers do so, as they feel that they would be unable to infiltrate and obtain information from certain groups or settings, if covert methods were not used. For example, Calvey (2000) who went undercover for six months to research club bouncers and nightlife, states that, In terms of taking a covert role, some argue that such a stance is ethically indefensible. However, given my concern with authenticity and the lived experience of this dangerous work, it would have been nearly impossible to gain access any other way. (Calvey, 2000:46) What Calvey is saying here, is that he felt that the only way to gain accurate, valuable information from his research was to adopt a covert approach; he felt that by honestly approaching bouncers as a researcher he would be unable to obtain information on their culture and way of life. Like Humphreys, Calvey has been heavily criticised for his work, due to his use of deception and the fact he was putting both himself and the people he was researching at risk. However, not all covert research has come under such heavy fire when it comes to criticism; an example of such research would be that conducted by Howard Becker on dance hall musicians and becoming a marijuana user. Becker also used deception, and often recorded conversations without informed consent, yet his work has not been criticised as relentlessly as Humphreys work has. It would appear, that although covert methods are widely criticised as unethical practice, the subject matter being studied is capable of stoking the fire, and influencing peoples judgement even further, helping to produce heavier criticisms and distain for both the research and the researcher alike. At the time when Humphreys conducted his research, homosexuals did not have the same freedom to explore and enjoy their sexuality that they do today; the gay liberation movement was only just beginning to emerge. At the time, homosexual sex was characterised as criminal sodomy and very little research had been conducted on the gay subculture in general, never mind research pertaining to sexual acts between members of the same sex. It is interesting to think that, if Humphreys conducted his research in todays modern times whether he would have received the same criticism that he did when his book was published in 1970. It is clear that, through his use of covert methods, and controversial subject matter, Humphreys has come under fire, and his research has been heavily criticised. But was his research justified and did the outcome of his research benefit those involved and society as a whole? Although his use of covert methods are controversial and may be considered unethical, Humphreys probably would not have been able to uncover the information which he did without using such methods, therefore, in these circumstances, the use of such methods are justified. There are serious ethical and legal issues in the use of covert research but the use of covert methods may be justified in certain circumstances. (British Sociological Association, 2002) Humphreys also went to incredible lengths to protect the information he obtained, which can only be seen as a strong asset to his research. Also, it was due to the research undertaken by Humphreys, and other such research conducted at a similar time, that many of the current ethical codes and guidelines pertaining to research exist today. These guidelines have enabled recent research to be much more ethically sound, and therefore not be so heavily criticised. Therefore, Humphreys work has helped in the advancement and evolution of social research. It is also interesting to consider whether the research conducted by Humphreys should have received such criticism considering that these ethical codes did not exist at the time. In relation to the impact his research has had on both the homosexual community and society as a whole, Humphreys managed to disprove many of the myths surrounding the tearoom trade. Many believed that the tearoom trade put young people at risk of sexual assault, yet Humphreys managed to show that the only sexual activity occurring in public restrooms was between consenting adults, and that no advances were made to disinterested parties. He also managed to show that the men engaging in the tearoom trade were not merely criminals or transients, but that the majority were upstanding members of the community, many of which were employed and had families, and a considerable amount were members, or had been members of the armed forces. This can only been seen as shedding a positive light on the then, underground homosexual subculture. As West (1970) states, [there can only be] benefit in the long term from the information the author has been able to obtain about a little understood but important facet of deviant behaviour. (West, 1970: viii) In conclusion it can be argued that the controversy surrounding Humphreys research is down to a combination of his methodological approach, and his chosen subject matter. His work drew attention to a little known deviant activity, which many people may have been disgusted by, and his findings are somewhat graphically depicted in his book Tearoom Trade. This controversial subject matter coupled with his ethically flawed methodology is what has led his research to become so infamously controversial within the field of social research. Warwick (1982), one of Humphreys main critics acknowledges that some of the controversies surrounding the research come from the research topic, yet he defends Humphreys decision to research into the tearoom trade, and only finds fault with the research methods that he used. Undoubtedly public reaction to Tearoom Trade will be strongly affected by the subject matter and the way in which the findings are presented. Many readers, finding the whole topic revolting, will channel their distaste against the author and sociology in generalEven so I would strongly defend Humphreys right to study this topic, however controversial it may beSocial scientists have not only a right but an obligation to study controversial and politically sensitive subjects, including homosexuality, even if this brings down the wrath of the public and government officials. But this obligation does not carry with it the right to deceive, exploit, or manipulate people (Warwick, 1982:54-55) However in defence of his methodology, it is important to consider that there were no formal guidelines and ethical codes relating to social research at the time Humphreys conducted his study of the tearoom trade. Also, many of the criticisms relating to the possible harm to participants are what ifs. Is it justifiable to criticise a piece of research on the fact that harm may come to the participant? Humphreys went to incredible lengths to ensure harm would not come to his participants, and that their identities would not be disclosed. In relation to his use of covert methods, deception and lack of informed consent, it is difficult to see how else he would have been able to conduct the research and still achieve the same results. Furthermore, deception is not restricted to covert methods, as can be seen in the example of Milgrams Study of Obedience, where informed consent was obtained, yet deception was still used. It is my opinion that although Humphreys research is ethically flawed, the reason it has become so controversial is not solely down to the methodology, the controversial subject matter has served as an accelerant in fuelling the controversy surrounding the research. Word Count: 3277

Constructivism Essay -- Philosophy, Piaget, Vygotsky

What is Constructivism? Constructivism has been a popular term used in education since the 1990s but can be traced back to a much earlier time than that (Maddux & Cummings, 1999, p.8). Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky are the two theorists who are closely linked to the development of constructivism. Over the past decade, education has seen an alarming increase in the number of students who are qualifying for special education services as well as students who are being labeled as â€Å"at risk† students. Having such an increase in special education the demand to find a teaching style that works best for students with disabilities has become extremely popular. An increase in popular terms and trendy forms of teaching instruction has developed in education. A popular â€Å"buzz† word that has invaded the educational world is Constructivism; even though constructivism is not a new term it does lack a concrete definition. The term constructivism has been used to explain everything from school reform to teaching styles, and most importantly related to a learning theory. As you can imagine the term Constructivism has the potential to develop many misconceptions since it lacks a universal definition. â€Å"Constructivism is an important theory of learning that is used to guide the development of new teaching methods†(Baviskar, Hartle & Whitney, 2009, p.541). The framework of constructivism is built upon the understanding that â€Å"learning is an active process that is student centered in the sense that, with the teachers help, learners select and transform information, construct hypothesis’, and make decisions†(Chrenka, 2001, p.694). It is important to understand that when speaking about constructivism we are referring to a learning theory not teach... ...dent-centered classroom, which allows students to act upon their prior knowledge and learn through hands on experience. If you have ever been involved with or around students with disabilities you may be extremely hesitant to adopt a constructivist view on education. Students with disabilities require a much more structured learning environment in order to be successful. Many education professionals feel that the appropriate learning experience and learning environment for students with disabilities would be one of a more teacher-directed or explicit teaching style. It would not be fair to assume that a constructivist approach to special education would be a complete failure. However, combining multiple constructivist strategies with some explicit teaching strategies you could quite possibly be able to achieve success when teaching students with disabilities.

The Body as Anstoss in Sartres Account of Constitution :: Jean-Paul Sartre Philosophy Existentialism

The Body as Anstoss in Sartre's Account of Constitution ABSTRACT: Of all the German idealists, Jean-Paul Sartre refers the least to Fichte-so little in fact that there have been long-standing suspicions that he was not even familiar with Fichte's writings. It is perhaps ironic, then, that Fichte's writings are as helpful as they are for clarifying Sartre's views, especially his views on subjectivity and inter-subjectivity. Here I want to look closely at a key concept in Fichte's mature writings: the concept of the Anstoss, a concept which Dan Breazeale has called "Fichte's original insight." Fichte introduces the Anstoss, or "check," to explain why the I posits the world as it does. In effect, the Anstoss is the occasion of the facticity of the I. I will show that his concept can be uniquely helpful in understanding the role the body plays in Sartre's theory of inter-subjectivity. The importance of Sartre's account of the body for his theory of subjectivity and inter-subjectivity has been chronically under-appreciated by his interpreters; this comparison is the beginning of an attempt to rectify that. In turn the concept of the Anstoss provides a means for analyzing the necessary differences between any Sartrean and Fichtean ethics based on their respective accounts of inter-subjectivity. Of all the German Idealists, Sartre refers the least to Fichte-so little in fact that there have been long-standing suspicions that he wasn't even familiar with Fichte's writings. It is perhaps ironic, then, that Fichte's writings are as helpful as they are for clarifying Sartre's views-especially his views on subjectivity and intersubjectivity. Here I want to look closely at a key concept in Fichte's mature writings-the concept of the Anstoss, a concept which has Dan Breazeale (implicitly against Dieter Henrich) has called "Fichte's original insight." (1) I believe, and I hope to show here, that this concept can be uniquely helpful in understanding, of all things, the role the body plays in Sartre's theory of intersubjectivity. The importance of Sartre's account of the body for his theory of subjectivity and intersubjectivity has been chronically under-appreciated by his interpreters; this comparison is the beginning of an attempt to rectify that. This introduces in turn a means for analyzing the necessary differences between any Sartrean and Fichtean ethics based on their respective accounts of intersubjectivity. The term Anstoss is first used in a systematic fashion by Fichte in the Grundlage der Gesamten Wissenschaftslehre from 1794/95.

Hamlet Mood Essay -- essays research papers

Hamlet Mood Essay Act 1 of Shakespeare’s Hamlet is an important act of the play because it sets the reader up with the mood of the play through conversations and events that happen. These moods set up are mysterious, mournful, and revengeful. With these moods set in place they will most likely determine the actions of Hamlet and other events that unfold throughout this tragedy. Right away in the first scene and a few others you can see that there is a going to be a mysterious mood with a few weird things happening in during the rest of the play. In the beginning of the first scene Marcellus says, â€Å"Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hour, / With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch†(1,1,76-77). Marcellus is telling Horatio about the ghost that he and Barnardo have seen on a two occasions. They don’t think that anyone will believe them so they bring Horatio along because if he sees it people will believe him because he is a scholar and he is respected. All three of the men tried to speak to the ghost but they are not successful, so a in Scene 4 they bring Hamlet along with them to see if he can talk to it because they said it looked like King Hamlet who had just been slain about two months ago. The ghost reveals that he is Hamlet’s father and that Claudius killed him by being poisoned. This ghost and the scenes being set at night show that there are most likely going to be some mysterious events happening as the storyline unfolds. Hamlet did not know how his father...

Arthur Miller’s The Crucible: Gaining Integrity through Failure Essay

Integrity is achieved through the gaining of wisdom; the gaining of wisdom is a direct result of failure. Arthur Miller wrote the moralizing drama, The Crucible, in this play the main character John Proctor was wrongly accused of witchcraft and served the death penalty along with two others. The story of John Proctor was indirectly summarized by the American author William Saroyan when he said, â€Å"Good people†¦are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure,† meaning that a person willing to sacrifice for his beliefs is good because although he has failed, by not according to his moral codes he has gained integrity and the ability to refuse to live a life of hypocrisy; further, John Proctor is good because he died refusing to lie in order to live. Proctor failed because his commitments wavered depending upon his own personal needs. Miller demonstrated Proctor’s failure, and later redemption and goodness throughout the text by means of characteriza tion, conflict, and theme. Miller uses the literary element of characterization to show John Proctor’s transformation from failure to goodness. There is a definite contradiction in Proctor; additionally, he says that he loves his wife; but, he adulters her as soon as she becomes ill. Also he does not attend church because he dislikes the way in which Reverend Samuel Parris governs the church, as well as the way he preaches. Proctor abhors how Parris uses donations for the church to buy superfluous things, † †¦When I look to heaven and see my money glaring at his elbows- it hurt my prayer, sir, it hurt my prayer† (69). Proctor’s commitment wavers depending upon his own personal needs. Arthur Miller characterized him as one with weak theology and one who struggled with personal commitment, in Puritan society religion is valued highly and those who don’t follow Puritan rules are not accepted and alienated by society. Salem citizens considered Proctor a religious failure. He was not able to recite the Ten Commandments when asked by Reverend Nathaniel Hale; further, as Proctor was failing to find the tenth commandment, his wife  Elizabeth utters delicately, â€Å"Adultery, John† (71). Ironically, Proctor was able to identify all the commandments except the one that he was betraying. Reverend Hale pointed out Proctor’s other religious shortcomings, he discerned that Proctor rarely attended church, â€Å"In the book of record that Mr. Parris keeps, I note that you are rarely on church on Sabbath day† (68). Proctor first argues that Hale must be wrong, then he replies that his wife was sick; so, finally after all of his excuses failed, he resorted to saying that he did not attend church because he did not like Reverend Samuel Parris, Reverend Hale continued to point out Proctor’s fallacies, Hale noted that only two of Proctor’s three sons had been baptized, â€Å"How comes it that only two are baptized† (69). Proctor claims that this is because he dislikes Reverend Parris, â€Å"I like it not that Mr. Parris should lay his hand on my baby. I see no light of God in that man. I’ll not conceal it† (69). Proctor proves himself to be religiously disloyal; additionally, since Samuel Parris was a preacher he must have the light of God is in him according to Puritan beliefs. Proctor challenges Hale’s accusations, â€Å"I nailed the roof upon the church, I hung the door-† (69). Proctor is willing to work for the church, but is not willing to atten d it like society expects him to; he unquestionably contradicts himself at  this point. Because of these religious weaknesses and inauthentic choices Proctor’s faith in God is weakened. Proctor reaches wisdom through failure, he overcame his shortcomings and was eventually able to redeem himself in the eyes of society as well as in the eyes of God. When he being frustrated by the false accusations of the court he proclaimed, â€Å"I say- I say- God is dead!† (125). Proctor believes that God is dead and that everyone will burn in Hell together. Later he gains goodness as he realizes that God knows that he is a sinner and that that is all that matters, â€Å"God does not need my name nailed upon the church! He sees my name; God knows how black my sins are! It is enough!† (149). Also, Proctor was tortured for three months, the Salem judges attempted to get him to purge a confession, but to no avail. Proctor knew that if he gave a false confession it would blacken his soul more than anything else would. Elizabeth questioned him prior to his hanging, â⠂¬Å"You-  have been tortured? Proctor responded, â€Å"Aye. They come for my life now.† (141). Proctor was tortured for three months and was determined bolster his ideals by showing a cold heart to the judges, here he exemplifies firmness and perseverance. Proctor began as one whose commitment was based on his personal needs, but was transformed to one willing to die for something he believes in, he was changed from a failed person to a moral man. Proctor knows that what the Salem judges were doing was wrong and he refused to be victimized by them. The dynamic characterization of John Proctor throughout The Crucible shows that he is a good person because he is willing to die defending his beliefs; although, he agrees to confess and abandon his previous ideals, he has a change of heart and hangs. Proctor was wrestling with his conscience over whether to confess to witchcraft an action that would save  himself from the gallows. The judges and Hale almost convinced him to do so, but the last stumbling block is his signature on the confession, which he could not bring himself to give. In part, this unwillingness reflects his desire to honor his fellow prisoners; he would not be able to live with himself knowing that other innocent, pious people died while he faltered at death’s door and fled. Also he would not sign the false confession because of his children; he did not want them to live knowing that their father was a too timid to stand up for his principles, â€Å"I have three children- how may I teach them to walk like men in the world, and I sold my friends?† (150). Proctor also hesitated to sign his false confession for fear of losing his tarnished, but all important name, â€Å"Because it is my name! Because I cannot have another in my life! Because I lie and sign myself to lies†¦How may I live without my name? (150). He knew that he could only have one name, and if he sign the false confession people would always look down on him as someone who was too cowardly to bolster his beliefs, Still another literary element used by Miller is that of theme. The idea that reputation can greatly effect a character’s thought process is a very important theme throughout the play. Reputation is tremendously important in  theocratic Salem, where public and private moralities are one and the same. In an environment where reputation plays such an important role, the fear of guilt by association becomes particularly harmful. Focused on maintaining public reputation, the townsfolk of Salem must fear that the sins of their friends and family may tarnish their own names. John Proctor based his actions on the desire to protect his reputation. Proctor seeks to keep his good name from being damaged; moreover, he attempts to quiet Abigail on the subject of their  previous relationship in order to protect his good name. He tells Abigail to forget about their relationship because he has reformed and wants nothing to do with her, â€Å"Wipe it out of mind. We never touched, Abbyâ €  (24). Personal responsibility is another major theme throughout The Crucible; Miller exemplifies Proctor’s transformation from failure to morality through his failed personal responsibilities. As a citizen of Salem, Proctor has the responsibility of attending church weekly; also, he has the responsibility of having his family follow Puritan religious rules. His youngest son is not baptized, Proctor argues that he does not think that Reverend Parris is the right man to baptize his son. Proctor’s largest failed responsibility is that of his loyalty to his wife, Elizabeth. He had with Abigail during his wife’s sickness. Proctor failed because his commitments wavered depending upon his own personal needs, he was in need of companionship and his wife was sick and therefore unable to fulfill his needs, so he abandon his previous ideals. Proctor’s inauthentic choice to lecher his wife contributed to his failings. Elizabeth expressed grief regarding Proctor’s lechery, she was dismayed when she learned of John’s sin, â€Å"You’ll tear it free-when you come to know that I will be your only wife, or no wife at all! (66). Another theme that plays a large role in transforming Proctor from a person of failure to a man with morals is that of intolerance of opposition. The Crucible is set in a theocratic society, in which the church and the state are one, and the Puritan religion is very austere. Because of the theocratic nature of the society, moral laws and state laws are one and the same: sin and the status of an individual’s soul are matters of public concern. There is no room for variation from social standards, since any individual whose private life does not conform to the established moral laws represents a  threat not only to the public good; but, they pose a threat to the rule of God and true religion as well. In Salem, everything and everyone belongs to either God or the Devil; opposition is not merely unlawful, it is associated with satanic activity. This division between good and evil, God or the Devil, functions as the underlying logic behind the witch trials. The witch trials are the ultimate expression of intolerance; and, hanging witches is the ultimate means of restoring the community’s purity. The trials categorize all social deviants with the disgrace of devil-worshiping and thus require their elimination from the community. Proctor conformed to society’s ways and hid his sins. Proctor’s failings were represented by the themes of reputation, intolerance, and personal responsibilities, he was unable to fulfill his societal duties; but, he hid his weaknesses in order to keep his social status white. He covered up his affair with Abigail and his religious inadequacies. Proctor adultered Elizabeth and he was unable to live a normal life because of his sins. Proctor also had a chance to put a stop to the girls’ accusations; but, his desire to preserve his reputation keeps him from testifying against Abigail, Proctor tells Elizabeth that he wants to think on the idea of testifying against Abigail because he fears that he may falsely accuse Abigail of fraud, but in actuality he is thinking on it because he does not want to bring adultery charges on himself by testifying against Abigail, he does not want to raise lechery suspicions from Elizabeth, â€Å"†¦I have good reason to think before I charge fraud on Abigail, and I will think on it† (57). However, Proctor’s desire to keep his good name leads him to make the heroic choice not to make a false confession and to go to his death without signing his name to an untrue statement, he proclaims to the court, â€Å"I have given you my soul; leave me my name!† (150). By refusing to surrender his name, he redeems himself for his failure  and therefore dies with integrity. Elizabeth expresses true feelings toward John because she knew that they might never speak to each other again. She explained to John that she was one who was wrong, she said that she should not have been suspicious of John, â€Å"Suspicion kissed you when I did; I never knew how I should say my love. It were a cold house I kept!† (144). Proctor surely has his integrity when Elizabeth exclaims to Judge Hathorne that John is a moral man, â€Å"Do what you will. But let none be your judge. There be no higher judge under Heaven than Proctor is! Forgive me, forgive me, John- I never knew such goodness in the world!† (144). Through the trials Proctor realized the conformists of society, and how people surrender to altering their own beliefs. When John is facing death he is redeemed and gains integrity. Elizabeth looks past John’s adultery and recognizes t hat has transformed into a respectable man. The literary element of conflict is frequently used throughout The Crucible to show John Proctor’s transition from ethical failure to moral success. The external conflict between John and Elizabeth shows John in as a failure, their conflict was caused by John’s affair with Abigail. Elizabeth expressed her grief upon learning of John’s lechery, â€Å"†¦I will be your only wife, or no wife at all! She [Abigail] has an arrow in you yet, John Proctor, and you know it well!† (66). Another external conflict exists between John and society, particularly, the judges and governors. The Salem governors convince Proctor that the right way to go is to give a false confession; further, he would spare his life, and religiously rid himself of sin by confessing. Here, Proctor failed. He chose to give a false confession, he chose to wrongly admit to witchcraft instead of  standing by his morals like Martha Corey and Sarah Good did before him. Along those same lines, John failed himself. Internally he was struggling with the same the decision of giving a false confession. Proctor failed through both internal and external conflicts. He was convinced to falsely confess, and he also adultered his wife. Proctor was redeemed internally; he found wisdom from within and reformed. Proctor realized that adultery greatly troubled  his relationship Elizabeth and also his public reputation, and redeemed himself by means of admitting his sins to Elizabeth and saying that he takes his own sins upon himself, no one else’s, â€Å"No, I take my own [sins], my own!† (144). Proctor also became conscious of the fact that integrity is much more important than reputation. He shows this recognition through deciding not to give a false confession. By not giving a false confession he redeemed himself and reached virtue. In the end, he was hanged and showed his goodness through his willingness to sacrifice his own life defending something that he believes in. Instead of being used by the court to damn witchcraft, he went against the court, and did the opposite of what they wanted him to do. By not conforming to the courts requests of a false confession he showed once more his integrity and morality. Furthermore, Arthur Miller depicts John Proctor’s goodness by showing that he has integrity, morals, and ideals. The American author William Saroyan said, â€Å"Good people†¦are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure.† Someone who is willing to sacrifice for his beliefs is a good person because although he has failed, by not according to his moral codes he has gained the integrity and the ability to refuse to live a life of hypocrisy. The Crucible is directly related to the McCarthy hearings of the 1950s  and 1960s. Senator Joseph McCarthy fought the growing Communist party during the â€Å"Red Scare,† when America was vulnerable to the growing threat of Communist invasion. McCarthy’s hearing is directly related to The Crucible because like the McCarthy hearings The Crucible sends a timeless message. Joseph McCarthy stood up to American society to publicly defend his reputation, as well as the reputations of others; additionally John Proctor did the same in The Crucible as he refused to shame himself by lying and taking the easy way out when others died for their morals. Works Cited: Miller, Arthur. The Crucible. New York: Penguin Books, 1953.